Thousands of tickets to Scotland’s top attractions up for grabs to celebrate St Andrew's Day !

13 November 2013

Some of Scotland’s best-loved heritage attractions will be giving away thousands of free tickets to people who pre-register online as part of this year’s St. Andrew’s Day celebrations.

Sites including Edinburgh Castle, Stirling Castle and Urquhart Castle are among the 35 participating Historic Scotland properties to offer the opportunity to apply for tickets to gain entry for up to two adults and three children through a pre-registration process.

A special website, www.ticketgiveaway.co.uk is now live, offering people the chance to apply for tickets to some of Scotland’s most iconic heritage sites. It will remain open until 5pm on Friday, 29th November.

People can apply for tickets for either Saturday 30th November or Sunday 1st December. In order to ensure a quality experience for visitors, the number of pre-registered tickets will be capped at each site. This includes 7,000 per day at Edinburgh Castle and 3,500 per day at Stirling Castle.

There is no limit to how many sites can be applied for, although visitors are being urged to be quick to register so they don’t miss out on the chance to visit a great historic property for free.

Stephen Duncan, Director of Commercial and Tourism at Historic Scotland said; “The Ticket Giveaway is a fantastic way to celebrate the St. Andrew’s Day weekend.

“There is a huge array of different sites to visit and with visitors able to pre-register for tickets for up to two adults and three children in a single transaction, it’s a great opportunity to enjoy many of Scotland’s historic properties for free.”

“The tickets won’t be around for long though, so we’d encourage people to be quick to register so they don’t miss out on the chance to visit their favourite property of choice.”

The Ticket Giveaway is part of the Scottish Government’s Winter Festivals programme, which celebrates three of the country’s most distinctive festivals; St. Andrew’s Day, Hogmanay and Burns Night.

“Scotland has some of the most diverse heritage in the world – from global icons, such as Scotland’s number one paid-for tourist attraction, Edinburgh Castle, through to island abbeys such as Iona.

“Each site has a fascinating story to tell, from Stirling Castle which was home to many of the most famous Stewart Kings and Queens through to Skara Brae in Orkney, one of the best preserved prehistoric villages in Europe. Meanwhile, from the Blackhouse in the Western Isles to the magnificent Borders abbeys, our countryside is dotted with reminders of Scotland’s past.

“The Ticket Giveaway is a great opportunity for people to enjoy the heritage on their doorstep, or to venture further afield, as part of the wider St. Andrew’s Day celebrations.”

Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament.

The Ticket Giveaway is part of the Scottish Government’s Winter Festivals programme. Follow events on Twitter with the hashtag #standrewsday

2013 is the Year of Natural Scotland, inspiring our people and our visitors to celebrate Scotland’s outstanding natural beauty, landscapes and biodiversity as Scotland prepares to welcome the world in 2014 and beyond. Find out more about Scotland’s outstanding natural beauty at www.visitscotland.com/natural